Character list – SAMPLE


Habit and distribution characters

Habit - general lifeform
Plant growth
Roots
Reproductive aerial growths/shoots
Terrestrials - Colony forming
Terrestrials - Vegetative growth on sterile and fertile plants
Terrestrials - Position of rosette (on fertile plant)
Epiphytes - Plant habit
Epiphytes - Root thickness
Epiphytes - Root surface
Epiphytes - Root cross section
Climbing orchid - stem colour
Occurrence - Australian States and Territories

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Flower characters

Flowering time
Inflorescence type
Inflorescence position
Inflorescence curvature
Flower number per inflorescence
Number of open flowers (per inflorescence)
Flower arrangement on rachis
Flower attitude
Flower orientation
Flower resupination
Flowers in pairs (on one short peduncle)
Flower longevity
Flower shape
Flower width
Flower colouration (excluding column)
Flower colour (excluding column)
Flower colour patterns
Flower sheen
Flower with spur, pouch or mentum
Osmophore placement
Hairs present on flower parts
All perianth segments (except labellum) fused
Ovary curvature
Ovary hairs
Type of ovary hairs
Pollen colour

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Dorsal sepal characters

Dorsal sepal attitude
Dorsal sepal with sessile glands
Dorsal sepal with a thread-like tip
Dorsal sepal relative width to (free) lateral sepals
Dorsal sepal relative length to (free) lateral sepals

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Lateral sepal characters

Lateral sepal unification
Fused lateral sepal orientation
Lateral sepal shape when flattened (free sepals only)
Lateral sepal surface
Lateral sepal attached to column foot

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Petal characters

Petals and dorsal sepal united in a hood (galea)
Petal relative length to dorsal sepal
Petal relative width to dorsal sepal
Petal relative length to lateral sepals
Petal relative width to lateral sepals
Petal shape
Petals with apical horn-like or clubbed structures
Petals with apical gland
Petal spiraled/twisted

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Peduncle characters

Peduncle presence
Peduncle length (when flowering)
Peduncle cross section
Peduncle thickness
Peduncle hairs
Type of peduncle hairs

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Leaf characters

Leaf presence
Leaf number
Leaf placement (plants with multiple leaves and plants fertile)
Leaf arrangement
Leaf petiole/stalk
Leaf petiole relative length to leaf blade
Leaf petiole length
Leaf attachment to petiole
Leaf hairs
Types of leaf hairs
Leaf surface
Leaves with central white stripe
Leaf - upper surface colour
Leaf - lower surface colour
Leaf - colour at base
Leaf texture (fresh leaf)
Leaf shape
Leaf cross section
Paired leaves (where there are two leaves only)
Leaf blade length
Leaf blade width
Leaf apex
Leaf margins

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Pseudobulb characters

Pseudobulb presence
Pseudobulb curvature
Pseudobulb internode
Pseudobulb shape
Pseudobulb surface
Pseudobulb cross section

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Labellum characters

Labellum shape
Insectiform labellum
Labellum exposure (in set position)
Labellum actively motile
Labellum forming a tube
Labellum basal appendage
Labellum lobing
Labellum margins
Labellum markings
Labellum distinctly different shape to petals and sepals
Labellum relative length to dorsal sepal
Labellum apex shape
Labellum apex attitude
Labellum apex distinctly different colour to rest of labellum
Labellum ornamentation
Labellum gland/calli - arrangement
Labellum gland/calli - colour
Labellum gland/calli - shape
Labellum hairs
Labellum hairs - colour
Labellum longitudinal ridge - number
Labellum longitudinal ridge - shape
Labellum auricles

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Column characters

Column structure
Column basal glands
Column foot
Column wings
Column hair-tufts
Column markings
Column colour

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Fruit characters

Fruit orientation
Fruit surface ornamentation
Peduncle elongating in fruit
Pedicel elongating in fruit

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